Plowing device



Dec. 1,2, 1944. o. STORZ 2,364,878

PLowING` DEVICE Filed March so, 1942 2 sheets-shet 1` Deci 12, 1944. o. STORZ 2,364,878

PLvOWING DEVICE Fild March 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED IS'l'TESV PATENT OF FCjE Y 2,364,87S e e l rLowrNG DEVICE lttn Sturz, Valparaisoy Ind., assigner to McGill Manufacturing Company, Valparaiso, Ind., ,a

corporation of `Indiana Y* v v Application March 30, 1942,4v SerialNo". 436,771?

` (crew-.211i v 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally tov plowing devices and in particular to a plowing device having a plow member operating in conjunction 'with 4a colter unit.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved plowing device. v

It is another object of this inventionv toprovide 'means for' adjustably supporting a colter so that it may be runat any desired angle to thev line of draft. v Y

Another object of this inventionis to provide a plow and a colter unit arranged in relative operating'positions and so constructed that the colter disc functionsto `cut'astraight furrow wall while turning over-aportion of the turf in the Same direction as-,the plow so that trash andthe like' is initial-lyf movedl to yone side of the plow and out of` its pathv of travel, whereby to completely eliminate all clogging diiliculties.

It is another object of' this invention to provide a colter construction such that the colt'ei` disc operatesboth tocutband partially turn over a portionA of theV turfv without inany way increasing theA side' dra-ftV of the` plowing device with which it is utilized.

A further object of this invention-iste provide a colter unit-fora plow having a collier-,disc

arranged and constructed'to cut a new furrowwall which isv in alignment with `the wallcutby the plow.l l v f i A particular feature of this invention isif'ound in the provision ofA `a colter'- unit having adjust# able means for varying the depth and` angle of cut of the colter disc; with'such means being plowing device showing the vassembly therein of.

a plow member and colter unit' in accordance with this invention; i f Fig. 2 is a plan view partly' in sectionas seenl along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;;

Fig. 3 is anel'evational view partlyin section showing the complete assemblyof'the c'olter unit oithisin'vention;- i l Fig. 41s a'. transverse sectional view taken along the line #-4 in' Fig. 3`; Y l f Fig'. 5 illustrates diagrammatically one/operatingvposition of the colter disc relative to the ground being cut;` 1

Eig. illustrates diagrammatically themanner l in whichv a portion-oi Vtheturf is initially folded back by thecolterdisc; and 1 ,f Y l Fig. '71 illustrates `rliagrammaticallyV the completeA turning over of the turf bythe plow member. i v' i Referring to the: drawings thereis snownin Fig. 1 a supporting beamk lil for a plow member I`I- including a share I Fa'y and mold board Hby a leading or plow; poi-nt for the share being indicated? at I2; i TheV colter` unit, designated: generally asl i3, includes acolter shankor`r standards It havingvaf vverticalv portion i6 and an an'gulate portion l1.

The vertical portion |6`- (Fig. 3)A is formed with awplurality of serrations I8v on one sidev thereof and' has a slot` I9 extending therethrough and terminating in the serrated side. A clamping block V2l" of' substantially U-shape has the leg 'portions thereofpositioned about the' plow beam 1 I Wand is provided on the outside of the connect-v ing'portion Zithereof with serrations correspondi-ngto'-v the serrations on thev shank lmember I4. A 'clamping 'plate 23 isY positionedl against the` plowbeam Hl'opposi'te-tothe block member 2`2andis adapted to receive a pai'r of clamping lbolts 24A extended through thesl'ot i9 in the vertical portion 16 of the cel-'ter shank' I4-.` Itis thus obvious from Pig. 3- tlfiaton` tightening-of thev nuts? 26` for the bolt`s`2`4i, the collier shank M clamping block 2l and" clamping plate 23I areal! clamped togetherin fixed' positionson the plow l ,K

` H' (Figs) I and extendsV both laterally and downwardly from tlie -verticalpcrtion vI6 andfin a direction rearwardly thereof toward the plow member Il. The portion, il; is'suitablybent orv twistedso that the `end sectionfZ'l thereof' is ofv l straight forrn` but inclinedat anj anglerelative tothe vertical sectionv I6.` 1n onev commercial embodiment of thev invention an angle of 8" is used, thisangle being indicated in Fig.: 3. The end section y2T '("ig,v 4s)-` is formed Witnaconcavely curved portion having serratio'ns '28* there` on for mating engagement with a convexly curved serrated portion 29 formed as a part of a bearing unit, indicatedgenerally as 3|, for` rotatably supporting the colter disc 32. The serrated portion 29 of the bearing unit 3| is integrally formed as a part of a housing member 33 the body portion of whichV is at substantially right angles to the portion 29. By virtue of the 8 inclination of the portion 21 from a vertical plane and the mating engagement of the curved serrated por` tions or mating faces 28 and 29 the axis of rotation for the disc 32, shown at 34 (Fig. 3) is the plow point |2 (Fig. 2). The disc 32 is shown in Fig. 2 for one condition of cutting so as to rotate in a, plane which is at an angle of )about twelve degrees to the plane'of the furrow wall being cut and designated as w. As previously mentioned the axis 34 for disc 32 is inclined to the horizontal by virtue of the connection of the bearing unit 3l with the inclined end section 21 of the colter shank '|4. With the parts thus relatively arranged the disc 32 is rotated in a plane vtransversely, or at an angle, relative to the furrow wall w so-that instead of being merely rolled substantially normal to the plane of the..end`A section 21 Vand thus inclined relative to a hori-` zontally extending plane. 1

The bearing unit 3| (Fig. 3) includes the'housing member 33 previously mentioned, inwhich is rotatably supported a hub member 36 for the disc 32. The hub portion 36 is rotatably supported in the housing member 33 by bearing means 31 and 38. The bearing 31 is Y'retainedin a Xed position axially of the hub member 3.6 by engagement with a shoulder'portion 39 formed in the hub member. The inner race ring-ofthe bearing means'38 is held in a fixed position on the hub 36 between a; stop or shoulder 4| and la tightening nut or collar V42. Thegbearing383is utilized to retain the hub 36 Within the housing33 by theV clamping of the outer race ring thereof between apshoulder 43 formed in thehousing member 33l and a clamping collar 44 threaded on the housing member-33. The bearings 31 and 38 `are sealed from moisture and dirt by sealing rings 46Vheld in place against the tightening collar 44` by anannular flange portion 41 formed integrally with the hub portion 36.

The hub portion 36 is assembled within the housing-*33 with thebearings 31. and 38 in assembly position thereon and while the clampingcol-l lar 44 is Vretained within the ange portion 41.

This hub assembly is inserted within the open end -ofv thehousing member 3| with the Abearing 38 positioned against the shoulder 43. The collar` 441s then threaded onto the housing 33 to its` position indicated in Fig. 3. lThedisc 32 is posi-.- tionedY about the hub portion 36 and against the flange 4 1 and is clamped inthis` position'by a holdingnut 48 which is threadable on the hub .36.`

From a consideration of .Fig. `lgtherefora'it-is seen that the bearing unit 3| is of aconstructi'on f such that dirt and moisture is positively prevent-v.,

ed from entering therein. `It is tobe noted further that the disc 32 is supported near one end of the bearing unit 3| with the sideportions 32a thereof extending outwardly or away from the bearing unit 3 Thus in operationany dirt carried by the disc falls clear of the bearing unit 3|. `Inthe as-v sembly of the'unit all parts are suitably greased so as to provide proper lubrication for thelife of the unit. Servicin'gand maintenance of the unit` 3| is thus reduced to a minimum.

Since the bearing unit 3|, including the disc'32 is movable as a unit any movement between the portions 21 and 29 correspondingly movesY the ene tire bearing unit 3| whereby to provide for the adjustment of the cutting.- angle of the disc 32 asv will be later-noted. This adjustedfposition isr retained Aby clamping bolts` 49 extended through corresponding openings 5| Ain theA colter shank I4 and through a' slot 52'in the serrated .portion 29. yInV the operationo'f this; invention Vit has been found that very desirable resultsare obtained when the Ylower mostperipheral point of the' disc 32, indicated at 53,-is adjusted so as tobe about three inches above ther plow' point |-2A (Fig. 1).I and. about 6F19 and, 9ncfhal1-i10he's0the QutSideQf.

valongthe ground there is provided a cutting or shearing action with the ground which results in the furrow' wall beingV cut cleanly and in a i `substantiallyvertical direction.

' Because'of'the conical construction and angular setting of the disc32 it also functions to initially at which `it is operating.v Any side `vthrust .prof

duced is thus the' result only ofthe dirt being thrown andnot fromrtheuforcing of the'cutter into the ground as occurs with discs of, rounded contour. This side draftor thrust' from` the disc 32 is icounter-acted directly lby the bearing .pf the rear portion-'54 of ythe, disc 32;- againstthe cut furrow Wall. This is best.illustratedinFig.l 5 in which the rear portion 54; of thedisc-bearing against the cutfurrow wallfu; is shaded The operation Lof the ydisc 32,Y therefore;v does notv'in any way disturb the vbalanced thrust conditions provided in the plowing .device alone.A The colter unit of this invention ma;7 vthus be applied to any plowing device, whether'of tractoror horse drawn therein. y; The initial turning over v 32 is illustrated vimgramm-atical1y;in. 6. that portion ofthe turf turnedpver bythe discbeing indicated as.5v6.. 1n. the prior art devicejsjthe colter disc merely functions to cut through. sod and trash without-turning over any portion there:

fore is-not completely-*covered by the turf turned over by the plow so ythat a grass line results. this grass continuing n to I.group/fwhenplowingv coin-f pleted. Further the trash cut'. by these prior-art colter discs --is not initially moved from-the-:pathvv turned over bythe plow.v as f shown inY Figi- 7; so l that the grass linesi above,` noted; aref'complet'ely eliminated. The-.colter .A operateshto fold or turn over a-small portion.ofthe-gturff and to produce a clean cut furrow,Wall-by,y a cutting: or shearing action, which provides y further; Aforr a complete cutting o-f all sod, weeds yor cornfstalkswhich might otherwise be "pulled up by' the fplowg'and A block 22.

agr-seams -ing thel humus in the soil ywhicnis'vii-.alin the ,-thesoil so thatv its value as a fertilizer is entirelir flost. With one embodiment of the invention angle.

-used in the plowing of a eld thickly covered with -horse weed about Aten feet high, all of thisweed was completely buried so that the iield was-clean and ready to seed. In many nstanceswherethe .field is so covered with weed, the weed is virst -burned off so as to save time vin plowing. This procedure of course is wasteful both in time an .inthe lossof the weed as a fertilizer. p

.l vBy virtue of the shearing action of; the disc 3 2 all of the trash is cutintopieces so that itis not readily carried on the disc.` However, since the disc 32 is inclined with the `rear portion .thereof to one side of the plow `l lv any trash-which might be picked up by the disc-is ,carried'by the disc out of `the path of travel of the. plowso that the accumulation of trash either on'the colter, on the plow, or in the space intermediate the colter and the plow is completely eliminated. lAny trash `carried by the disc is thi-own tonne side of the plow and buried under the soil turned of the plow share the finished furrow wall is.

cut substantially straight over its entire height. This arrangement of the plow point l2 relative to the disc point 53 provides for a more thorough scouring action of the plow by the dirt since the dirt tends toprogressively scour the plow as it passes along the plow rather than to be immediately turned over thereby. Furthermore, the traveling o f the plow point I2 outwardly of the furrow wall w tends to throw the dirt to both sides of the plow point with the dirt between the plow point and the furrow wall moving upwardly along the plow and for an appreciable distance over the mold board Hb thereof so as to completely scour the same. In contrast to this condi'- tion, oolters of the prior art normally act in such a way as to rob the plow of dirt for necessary scouring, and in time this causes clogging of the plow and inefficient as well as imperfect plowing.

The depth at which the disc 32 is permitted to cut is adjustable at relatively fine increments by moving .the serrated portion on the vertical end I6 of the colter shank I4 relative to the corresponding serrated portion on the clamping This is readily accomplished by merely loosening the nuts 26 to disengage lpreviously engaged serrations and then moving the shank portion to a desired position. Any depth of cut for the disc 32 is thus simply accomplished. The cutting depth of the disc 32, of course, is governed by the total depth of the furrow desired. For example if the furrow is to be six inches deep then the disc 32 is adjusted to make a cut of about three to four inches so that a vertical space of two or threeI inches is left between the plow tip l2 and the peripheral point 53 of the disc.

Depending upon the particular plowing conditions the disc 32 may be angularly inclined relative tothe lfurrow wall to .cut at any desired In `order to set the cutting langleof the disc 32. the nuts 50 for the bolts 49 are loosenedto permit movement of the curved serrated portion 29 relative to the mating curvedportion 28, the

movement ofthe portion 29 in turn providing for themovementoi bearing unit 3| and hence of the disc 32. The serrations may be made relatively small so that smallincrement changescan be made over a wideangular range.

The' curvature of the 'curvedportions 28 and 29 has for a radius `a distance A-,B extending axiallyof` the axis of rotation`l 34 `ofthe disc 32 (Fig.g4) Thus on pivotal'or rotational movement-of the bearing unit 3| jrelativeto the inclined end section2'1,the axial center of the .disc 32 land hence the lower Amost peripheral portion 53 thereof is movedthrough an arc limited by 'the range of adjustment between the serrated portions 28 and 29. The center of the arc is de- :ned by theposition of thedisc 32 when it is in :a planev substantiallyparalleI with the plane of `the end sectionv 21.'-`The,.distance `of the disc -point 53 laterally ofthe plow point l2 thus remains substantially. unchanged for all `angular cutting positions-ofA the disc 32. The angular setting .ofthe disc 32 may thus be accomplished independently of the setting of the disc 32 relative to the plow point 12.

From a consideration of the above description and drawings it is seen that the invention provides a colter for a plowing device having adjustable mounting means for setting it in a predetermined operating relation 'with an associated plow member. The colter disc or cutting blade is of a construction and arrangement relative to the plow such that it functions to provide a clean cut furrow wall bya cutting or shearing action rather .than by a mere rolling action thereof.` Although the disc'functions to initially turn.

over a lsmall portion of the turf,` the turf thus folded is of such a small Volume that it does not in any way interfere with the volume of the turf being passed over the mold board of the plow for scouring the same. All of the adjustments to the colter unit can be made simply, quickly and independently of each other and in accordance with the plowing conditions being encountered.

Although the 'invention has been described with reference to but a single plow and colter combination it is to be understood that any number of such combinations may be used in a single plowing device. It is to be understood further 4that although the invention has `been described with specific reference to a single embodiment thereof it is not to be so limited since modiiications and alterations can be made in the various parts and in their relative arrangement which are within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a plowing device for attachment to a plow beam, comprising a` dish-shaped colter disc having radiating portions extending straight away from the center of the disc to the cutting edge 9 Y thereof, supporting means for supporting said ship for saidportion of said disc regardless of the cutting angle imparted to saidy disc, said last- Vnamed meansfincludingfa'pair of relatively adjustable members provided with curved portions having mating serrations which extend longitudinally in upright positions and at an )angle relative to the vertical to permitv adjustmentof the cutting angle of said discV without altering the substantially vertical relationship for said portion of said disc.

2. A colter unit for a plowing device having a plow beam, said colter unit including a colter disc, a colter shank adapted for attachment to said plow beam and having a curved upright extending serrated face portion, a bearing unit rtatably supporting said disc and including a housing member provided with a curved serrated face portion likewise extending upwardly and adapted forv overlapping mating engagement in an upright direction with the upright extending serrated face portion of said shank,A a hub member for said disc rotatable withinsaid housing member, means retaining said hub member in said housing member, a pair of vertically spaced bolts for clamping said two serrated portions together, with relative movementV between said two serrated portions moving said bearing unit relative to said colter shank to adjust the cutting angle of said disc, and means for yso attaching said colter shank to said plow beamthat the'cutting angle of said disc relative to thevertical cannot be changed by clamping said serrated face portions in different relative positions.

3.7In a plowing device for attachment Vto a" plow beam comprising a rotatable dish-shaped colter disc, the radiating portions of said disc the cutting edgethereof so that the disc may bepivoted to various horizontal angular positionsl without disturbing the upright angular position, said means comprising a pair' of upright parts having corresponding upright mating faces, and

substantially horizontally extending clamping means extending through said parts. i

oTTo sToRz. 

